Lock chamber for liquid and gas storage apparatus



Nov. 4, 1941. .1. H. WIGGINS 2,261,457

LOCK CHAMBER FOR LIQUID AND GAS STORAGE APPARATUS Filed Aug. 5, 1959 HMFIGI. FIG.7;- F|G.6.

\\ L ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 4, 1 941 @FFEE LOCK CHAMBER FOR LIQUID AND GAS STORAGE APPARATUS John H. Wiggins, Chicago, Ill. Application August a, 1939, Serial No. 288,107

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a device or mechanism which I will refer to as a lock chamber 7 that is intended to be used with a liquid or gas storage apparatus to facilitate the introduction and withdrawal into and out of the container of the apparatus, of a means that is used to determine some fact about the medium that is confined in the container, such for example, as gaging liquid in the container, or obtaining a sample of the liquid confined in the container, or determining the temperature'of liquid in the container. My present application is a continuation, in part, of my pending application Serial No. 184,547, filed January 12, 1938, and discloses a lock chamber of simple design and inexpensive construction, that can be easily combined with various kinds of containers employed to store volatile mediums or substances, or substances which it is desirable to protect from the atmosphere.

The main object of my invention is to provide an efficient and easily. operable means of simple construction, by which a person located on the exterior of a container can introduce a device into and out of a container in the operation of determining a fact about the medium confined in the container, without exposing the contents of the container to the atmosphere, or permitting gases to escape from the container.

Another object is to provide a lock chamber for liquid and/or gas storage containers, that constitutes an intermediate passageway between the atmosphere and the interior of the container, and Which is equipped with atop closure of novel construction, that normally seals said chamber and cuts it off from theatmosphere, and which is constructed in such a way that an operating device may be inserted into said chamber through a passageway in said top closure.

And still another object of my invention is to provide a lock chamber of the kind above described, that is inexpensive to' manufactura'and whose component parts can be quickly and easily actuated in the operation of gaging, sampling or making any other determinative test of the medium confined inthe container. Other objects and desirable features of myinvention will be hereinafter pointed out.

Briefly stated, my invention consists of a chamber adapted to be mounted on or combined with a container, so as to form an intermediate passageway between the atmosphere and the interior of the container, and independently operable closures, valves, or cut-off devices, by which phere and placed in direct communication with the interior of the container, or cut off from the interior of the container and placed in direct communication with the atmosphere. The closures, valves, or cut-off devices above referred to may be constructed in various ways, but they are of such a character or of such a design that they can be easily actuated or manipulated by a person located on the exterior of the container and lock chamber. Preferably, the top closure that is used to establish and cut off communication between the atmosphere and the interior of the lock chamber is of such construction that it normally is gas-tight and substantially imperforate, but it can easily be converted into a closure equipped with a gas-tight, 0r substantially gas-tight, passageway for a chain, cable, tape or other operating device attached to a member or element that is adapted to be introduced into and withdrawn from the container in the operation of determining a fact about the medium confined in the container. The particular manner in which the lock chamber is mounted on or combined with the container is immaterial and may be Varied to suit existing conditions. For example, the lock chamber may be formed by a sleeve or open-ended, tubular-shaped member on the roof of the container, provided at its lower end with a shiftable bottom closure that establishes and cuts off communication between the internal space of said sleeve and the interior of the container, and provided at its upper end with a shiftable top closure that is adapted to be opened to provide access to the interior of said sleeve, said top closure having provision for forming a passageway for an operating device, and also provision for making said passageway absolutely gas-tight, when said operating device is not in use, or the lock chamber may be formed by a sleeve or other tubular member equipped with top and bottom closures of the kind mentioned, and the entire structure mounted on the cover plate of a manhole on the roof of the container. In still another form or embodiment of my invention the hollow member that constitutes the lock chamber is mounted on or carried by a gate valve on the roof of the container that is adapted to be opened and closed, so as to establish and cut off communication between said hollow member and the interior of the container. In such an installation the other closure or cut-off device of the lock chamber would be preferably arranged at the upper endof said chamber and would have provision said chamber can be cut off from the atmosforforming a passageway for an operating chain,

cable or tape, as previously explained, and also provision for normally closing and sealing said passageway.

Figure 1 of the drawing is a vertical sectional view of a lock chamber constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of said lock chamber.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of said chamber.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a removable stopper or plug that is adapted to be mounted in the top closure of the lock chamber to form a passageway or guide for an operating tape.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view, illustrating how the lock chamber may be mounted on the cover plate of a manhole on the roof of the container, instead of being mounted directly on said roof.

Figure 6 illustrates how the lock chamber may be mounted on a gate valve on the roof of the container; and

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the stopper that forms a guideway for the operating device, illustrating the adjustable means on said stopper that is used to vary the size of the opening or passageway in said stopper through which the operating device passes.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates the preferred form of my invention, l designates some portion of a gas-tight container, such, for example, as the top or roof of said container, 2 designates a hollow member, preferably of tubular form, that forms a lock chamber A which constitutes an intermediate passageway between the atmosphere and the interior of the container, 3 designates a closure, valve, or cut-off device that is adapted to be set in one position, wherein it establishes communication between the chamber A and the interior of the container, and set in another position, wherein it cuts off communication between the container and the chamber A, and 4 designates a closure, valve, or cut-ofi device that is adapted to be set in one position, so as to cut off the chamber A from the atmosphere when the closure 3 is open, and set in a difierent position, so as to connect the chamber A with the atmosphere when the closure 3 is operative or set in its closed position. In the form of my invention shown in Figure 1 the tubular member 2 is arranged vertically in a hole in the roof of the container, with the lower end of said member positioned below said roof, and the top and bottom closures 4 and 3 are of the type that are adapted to seat against or close against the ends of the tubular member 2, or against gaskets attached to said closures or to the ends of the tubular member 2. I wish it to be understood however, that this particular way of mounting or combining the lock chamber A with the container is not essential, and that other types or kinds of cut-off devices could be substituted for the closures 3 and 4, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The lock chamber A is of such size or dimensions that it can be used to house a device or instrument employed to gage, sample, or make some other test of the medium confined in the container, and said chamber constitutes an intermediate passageway for said device or instrument during the operation of introducing it into or withdrawing it from the container. In Figure 1 I have illustrated how the lock chamber A may be used to house a sampler as consisting of a small bottle that is adapted to be lowered into the liquid in the container, so as to pick up a sample of the liquid, after which said bottle is moved upwardly from the container into the lock chamber A, and thereafter, is removed from said lock chamber, so that the contents of the bottle may be tested or analyzed. In the above described operation of obtaining a sample of the liquid in the container, the bottom closure 3 is set or adjusted so that it cuts 01f communication between the container and the chamber A. The top closure 4 of the chamber A is then opened, after which the sampler a: is positioned inside of the chamber A. If the sampler a: is of the type or kind that is equipped with a plug type stopper or cork 1:, the sampler may be encased in or surrounded 'by a harness 1: that is combined with the stopper cc in such a way that a sudden upward jerk on the harness will cause the stopper 3: to be pulled out of or withdrawn from the neck of the bottle :0, after it has been submerged in the liquid in the container, whereupon said bottle will fill with liquid. The harness .10 is of such dimensions that it will hold the bottle a: in an upright position, and hence, a sample of the liquid can be obtained simply by pulling the harness m and bottle a: upwardly into the chamber A, then shifting the closure 3 into its closed position, and thereafter, opening the closure 4, so as to permit the harness and bottle to be removed from the chamber A.

In order that the bottom closure 3 may be easily moved into and out of its closed position by a user standing on the roof I of the container, said closure 3 is mounted on an arm or pair of horizontally-disposed arms 5 that project laterally from the lower end of a rock shaft 6 that projects upwardly through a stuffing box or other gas-tight bearing 1 on the roof of the container, said rock shaft 6 being provided at its upper end with an operating handle 8, by which said shaft may be turned to move the closure 3 into and out of its operative position. When the closure 3 is in its open or inactive position, it is arranged out of vertical alignment with the lower end of the lock chamber A, as shown in broken lines in Figure 3. To close the closure 3 or shift it into its operative position, the user simply moves the handle 8 in a direction to rock the shaft '6 on its axis, and thus cause the closure 3 to be moved into alignment with the lower end of the tubular member 2 that constitutes the lock chamber A. The closure 3 is herein illustrated as being pivotally mounted at 9 on the means 5 which carries said closure, and in order that said closure will have a natural tendency to automatically assume such a position that it will always slide easily onto and off of its seat and never catch on same, the lugs on the depending under side of the closure 3 through which the pivot pin 9 passes, are eccentrically disposed with relation to the center of the closure 3, as shown in Figure 1. Consequently, when the closure 3 is moved from its closed to its open position, it will always assume such a position with relation to the means 5 on which it is mounted that when it is subsequently restored to its closed position, it will seat properly against the lower end of the tubular member 2. In order to compensate for wear and insure a gas-tight joint between the closure 3 and its seat, the operating shaft 6 may be provided with a threaded portion 6 that passes through an adjusting nut 6 that either rests upon a laterally-projecting bracket 6 on the exterior of the tubular member 2, or which is confined between such a laterally-projecting bracket and an overhanging lug or a bracket 6 on the exterior of the tubularmember 2. As shown in Figures 1, 2'and 3, the adjusting nut 6 may be provided with a handle 6?. When said handle 6 is swung in one direction, the oper ating shaft 6 will be moved upwardly, thus drawing the closure '3 more tightly into engagement with its seat, and when said handle 6 is swung in the oppositedirection, the operating shaft 6 will be moved downwardly, thus slightly freeing the closure 3 fromits seat. In a lock chamber oi the construction above described, it is not necessary that the bottom closure 3 of said chamber be 100% gas-tight,because normally the top closure 4 is relied upon to prevent gases from escaping from the container. Hence, it is feasible to form a small hole ID in the bottom closure 3, so as to equalize the pressure in the chamber A, preparatory to shifting the bottom closure 3 into its open position, so as to establish communication between the container and the lock chamber A. Or, instead of forming a leak hole III in the bottom closure 3, as just described, a small pipe equipped with a valve (not shown) could be mounted in the lower end portion of the tubular member 2 that projects downwardly below the roof I of the container, so as to equalize the pressure in the container and in the chamber A preparatory to opening the bottom valve or closure 3. I

My broad idea contemplates equipping the lock chamber A with any type or kind of closure that can be opened or removed, so as to provide access to the interior of said chamber, I prefer, however, to use a top closure 4 of the quick-acting type, that comprises an arm or pair of arms II pivotally connected at I2 to a bracket I3 on the exterior of the side wall of the lock chamber A, and having the top closure 4 pivotally connected thereto by a pintle pin or pins I4. The swinging supporting means I I for the top closure 4 co-operates with an adjustable locking device I5 that is adapted to be manipulated so as to force the top closure 4 downwardly into tight seating engagement with the upper end of the tubular member 2 that constitutes the side wall of the lock chamber A, and while various types or kinds of lock devices or retaining devices I5 may be used, I prefer to use a device consisting of a pivotally mounted or swinging link on the exterior of the tubular member 2, provided with an adjusting nut l5 that is adapted to be arranged in overlapping relationship with the free end of the swinging sup-porting structure II on which the top closure 4 is mounted. Normally, the link I5 and the adjusting device I5 thereon occupy the positions shown in full lines in Figure 2. When it is desired to open the top closure 4, the device l5 is backed ofi or released slightly, after which the link I5 may be swung downwardly into the position shown in broken lines in Figure 2, thus releasing the structure I I and permitting said structure with the closure 4 thereon to be swung upwardly, into the position shown in broken lines in Figure 2.

As previously stated, the top closure 4 of the lock chamber is provided with a device that serves as a guide or passageway for a member which is used to manipulate the sampler, plumb bob, or other instrument used to test the medium in the container or ascertain a fact in connection with said medium. Preferably, the top closure 4 is provided with a hole that is normally closed by a solid plug (not shown). When the liquid in the container is to be tested, said solid plug is removed from the top closure 4 and replaced by a ment'or element which is to be lowered into the liquid in'the container. In the operation of obtaining a sample of the liquid in the container,

the top'closure 4 is shifted into its open position,

as shown in broken lines in Figure 2 after the bottom closure 3 has been closed; the plug I6 with the operating chain I1 therein is then inserted in the top closure 4; the sampler with the harness .15 thereon is then positioned in the chamber A and connected with the operating chain I! by means of the snap hook I8, and the top closure 4 is then restored to its closed position. Thereafter, the bottom closure 3 is shifted into its inactive position, and the chain I1 is manipulated so as to first lower the bottle a: into the liquid in the container, so as to obtain a sample of the liquid and then move said bottle upwardly into the lock chamber A. Then the bottom closure 3 is moved into operative position, so as to out 01f communication between the container and the chamber A, after which the top closure 4 can be opened, so as to permit the sampler and its harness to be disconnected from the chain I1 and removed from the lock chamber. If the instrument or element that is lowered into the container is of such a character that it requires the use of an operating device consisting of a tape or similar strip-like device, the plug 16 equipped with the chain is removed from the top closure 4 and replaced by a plug Hi of the kind shown in Figure 4, which has an open-sided slot I! in same for receiving a strip-like operating device, for example, a tape to which a plumb bob is attached. The plug or other device that is mounted in the top closure of the chamber A so as to form a guide or passageway for the operating device employed to manipulate the element used to test, gage or otherwise determine the condition of the liquid in the container, is preferably provided with a means that can be adjusted so as to produce and maintain a substantially gastight passageway between the operating device and its guide. Thus, as shown in Figure 7, the plug I6 may be provided with compressible material I9, and with adjusting screws 20 that can be tightened so as to deform said material I9 in such a way as to vary or restrict the cross-sectional shape or size of the passageway in which the operating device I! travels, and thereby tend to make said passageway more gas-tight.

In Figure 5 of the drawing I have illustrated another way of mounting the lock chamber A or combining it with the container. In this form of my invention a lock chamber A and associated parts of the kind previously described. are mounted on the cover plate H of a manhole 22 on the roof I of the container. Hence, in such a structure the bottom closure 3 of the lock chamber A will be located above the roof of the container, instead of below said roof, as in the form of my invention shown in Figure 1.

Figure 6 illustrates still another embodiment of my invention, wherein the tubular member 2 that constitutes the side wall of the lock chamber A is mounted on a gate valve 23 on the roof of the container. In such a structure the lock chamber A would be equipped with a top closure 4 and associated parts of the kind previously described, but the bottom closure of said chamber would be formed by the movable valve element of the globe valve 23. However, the apparatus shown in Figure 6 would function in the same way and would be operated in the same manner previously described in connection with the form of my invention shown in Figure 1, i. e., the valve 23 would be closed preparatory to introducing the sampler, plumb bob, or other instrument into the lock chamber A, and after the top closure 4 of said lock chamber had been closed, the valve 23 would be opened, so as to establish communication between the lock chamber and the interior of the container.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

The combination of a container, a lock chamber mounted on the container and provided at its upper and lower ends with openings, the lower opening being located on the inside of said container, a movable closure for the upper opening of said lock chamber, a separate closure for the lower opening of the lock chamber, said separate closure or lower closure being mounted to rotate about a vertical axis and being located on the exterior of the lock chamber, and means for enabling said lower closure to be opened or closed independently of the upper closure and without disturbing the position of said upper closure, said means comprising a rock shaft mounted vertically on the exterior of the lock chamber and provided with a laterally-projecting arm on which said lower closure is pivotally mounted.

JOHN H. WIGGINS. 

